After months of preparation, 8 partnerships from OGC’s age group and junior teams made their way to the Flanders International Acro Cup (FIAC) in Belgium last week to compete against some of the top acro teams across the globe.

Traditionally, Canadian teams have not had a very large presence among the international acro community but thanks to the tireless efforts of many individuals from OGC as well as others from across Ontario and Canada, this has been steadily changing year after year.

This is why we are especially proud to announce that at this year’s FIAC, the Canadian teams made sure that their presence would not be soon forgotten. Not only did many Canadian teams compete and perform beautifully; several making it to finals, but OGC brought home the gold and silver medals in two highly competitive categories (along with Calgary Acro adding another silver to the Canadian tally in the 13-19 WG category).

Theo and Mila – 12-18 MxP – Gold

Under the guidance of coaches Scott Middleton and Greg Boosey, this dynamic pair has been on a steady path to success over the past few years. They won gold at the Vegas Acro Cup in 2017, gold again at the Pan Am championships in 2017, silver at the Maia Acro Cup in 2018 and placed 4th in the World Championships in 2018. This is the first gold medal won by a Canadian team at the FIAC.

Marie-Ève, Sydney, and Olivia – 12-18 WG – Silver

This talented trio has continued to make tremendous progress together and so it will come as no surprise to those that have watched them grow over the last few years that they came home with a silver medal in one of the most competitive categories.

Katelynn, Teeba, and Lola – 12-18 WG

This was the first international competition for this newly formed 12-18 trio and they blew everyone away with an impressive combined score of 51.200 from their balance and dynamic routines.

Max and Kristian – 12-18 MP

This men’s pair is always a pleasure to watch and they did not disappoint at the FIAC. With stiff competition, they landed in 7th place with a combined score of 50.960, just narrowly missing qualifying for finals.

Cassandra, Ashlee, and Maddy – 13-19 WG

Despite a slip during their second routine, our highest level trio still managed to qualify for finals; a true testament to their talent and determination. Unfortunately, the injury from the fall prevented them from competing in finals but we all know this trio will come back stronger than ever.

Emilia, Annabel, and Aubrey – 11-16 WG

Another newly formed trio, these girls put everything they had on the competition floor and it paid off. They qualified for finals and ended up in 11th place out of 43 competitors.

Ally, Karyzza, and Joelle – 11-16 WG

Competing for the first time internationally as a new trio, this group made us all proud to be Canadian. After a slip in their second routine that could have easily shaken their confidence, they showcased tremendous professionalism and gracefully continued without missing a beat.

Matteo and Addison – 11-16 MxP

Finally, our newly formed mini mixed pair walked out with such confidence that it was hard to believe this was their first international competition together. They kept up with many exceptional teams and placed 7th overall, just narrowly missing qualifying for finals by 0.05.

The team has since returned to Oakville and is already working hard in anticipation of the Ontario Provincial Championships which will be held next weekend. For many, the FIAC was an incredible experience for them to showcase their hard work and also to witness some pretty spectacular talent from across the globe. The impressive results were well-earned and are a credit to the hard work of not only the athletes, but also the team’s coaches, Scott and Greg, the team choreographer, Giselle Sloan, and of course, the parents and families who support them along the way.

Congratulations to all!

Photo credits (cover photo excepted): Michael Hendershot